I totally disagree with you on this issue, John. Many of my closest friends have been, and still are, women. In fact, I've always felt more comfortable sharing my feelings with women than with men. Perhaps it is because I grew up with two sisters who were very close to my own age. But, since high school, I've had a good number of close female friends. Occasionally there had been temptations to delve into a more sexual relationship (and sometimes more than temptation), however, it was generally not a one sided temptation (i.e., on my part).

Moreover, many of Diane's closest friends are male. She has always felt more comfortable with male friends than with female friends. In this regards, we both know how the other feels.

In regard to your second question, can lovers become friends (after the relationship has ended), I think it depends a lot on why the relationship ended. Many of my past relationships have ended because the two of us came to a mutual conclusion that, even though we cared very much for one another, things probably would be better if we slipped back a few steps into a close friendship. Those friendships have worked out very well.